You have to plank while speaking, in order to motivate people to speak succinctly. Obviously disadvantages people who aren’t physically fit as they literally don’t get to contribute as much!
That sounds like a practice suitable for 13 year old boys, not professionals.
Actually I found a more recent tweet depicting the actual practice, which has since been deleted. For the record, it was the same photo that appears in https://medium.com/@william.liu/daily-plank-meeting-732456e6... , a post that advises (!) this practice.
When an industry recruits 22 year old men, is it surprising when the workplace resembles a barracks?
What would the workplace resemble if they were hiring 22 year old females? Can you give an answer with a straight face that doesn't patronize 50+% of the world population?
Well, like 22 year old men have certain tendencies that will prevail (e.g. a bro office culture), the same way a company of 22 year old females will have other tendencies that will prevail.
People not understanding statistics doesn't mean there are not some dominant traits in each group, even if they are not shared by all members of the group -- nor that it is patronizing to mention them (as if someone making a general statement about a group outcome is patronizing if they don't describe exactly what each and every individual involved in that group would be like and do).
I really liked this article. A lot of the things mentioned seem to be necessary because the author has “passing privilege”, but some are necessary due to poor management practices. Stand ups and in person meetings are two spots where this frequently happens. I’ve inherited teams where everyone needs to stand during standup, or worse, where they do the push-up/plank thing if you want to speak. It shouldn’t take a grea…
> the push-up/plank thing if you want to speak. This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Do you get to talk over someone out of turn by doing a harder plank variation? I kind of wish you hadn't said this. Somewhere someone is reading this and thinking it's actually not a bad idea.
Now we know why software is, as a rule, crap. Can you imagine a team of chemical engineers designing a plant, there are sub-teams for the different subsystems, and during an integration meeting, whenever someone raises a points or has concerns about this or that working nice with the rest of the design, they have to drop to the floor and give ten so that the meeting is over faster! We wouldn't tolerate bridges and sewage plants built like that! It's fucking unthinkable, except in software!
> the push-up/plank thing if you want to speak. This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Do you get to talk over someone out of turn by doing a harder plank variation? I kind of wish you hadn't said this. Somewhere someone is reading this and thinking it's actually not a bad idea.
Now we know why software is, as a rule, crap. Can you imagine a team of chemical engineers designing a plant, there are sub-teams for the different subsystems, and during an integration meeting, whenever someone raises a points or has concerns about this or that working nice with the rest of the design, they have to drop to the floor and give ten so that the meeting is over faster! We wouldn't tolerate bridges and se…
How was the person responsible for this idea still there for the next meeting.
If the company wants employment to be a success, rather than a temporary period of grudging extraction of value through pain, then they have to go as far as is necessary to accommodate the employee. The details will be different for every case, but generous work from home rules can help a lot.
Why? It's not self-evident that as far as is necessary is the correct answer here. If the costs are far outstripping the value delivered by the employee, then at the very least it's become a question of disabled rights, and not a business decision. There's clearly a limit to the reasonable accommodations we can expect of an employer.
I don't know if you realize what you've done here.
They said accommodate as far as is necessary. Necessary literally means that it is needed. There is a statement of correctness built into the word.
And you are objecting that necessary is needed? As in, wait wait a moment here. I think we should do less than necessary.
Arguing where to draw that line is one thing. But as worded, you appear to be advocating below minimum requirements.
I really liked this article. A lot of the things mentioned seem to be necessary because the author has “passing privilege”, but some are necessary due to poor management practices. Stand ups and in person meetings are two spots where this frequently happens. I’ve inherited teams where everyone needs to stand during standup, or worse, where they do the push-up/plank thing if you want to speak. It shouldn’t take a grea…
> they do the push-up/plank thing if you want to speak
It never ceases to amaze me that businesses do this kind of thing (and many more besides) and still succeed. The induced drag from from stupid management practices is not that different from using crappy technology.
If I worked there and did not receive similar home office treatment I would leave... Edit I would do so quietly without making a fuss about it. You would probably not even realise that was the reason for me leaving. Basically if I see the rules of my workplace as unfair and arbitrary I will leave.
What's unfair and arbitrary is that some people are dealt disabilities. Net reduction of suffering is a good thing. You don't need to inflict yourself with jealousy over it.
How is it jealousy? I believe it's a fair point. If WFH is possible to help somebody deal with their illness, why isn't it an option for everybody? Clearly the team/company can make it work, so why not open the option for everyone?
It's like the whole "will consider remote for the right candidate" in job description. So everybody in the office is not the right candidate?
When an industry recruits 22 year old men, is it surprising when the workplace resembles a barracks?
What would the workplace resemble if they were hiring 22 year old females? Can you give an answer with a straight face that doesn't patronize 50+% of the world population?
Very thoughtful author. I would like to get her thoughts on where a employeer should draw the line on staying that a disability cannot be accommodated. For example, someone who had a light sensitivity as well as PTSD may need to work in a dark quiet environment. How far does the company go to support that need?
I know some one with this and using sunglasses solved most of their problem